By Tony Cheong
I decided to check out a place I’ve been hearing about for barbecue.
My dad lives in the south and I have raved in the past about my brother’s prowess on the grill so I am not really easy to please.
However, Hanks, owned by Jeff Hamm, gets it right. It’s a joint with no frills or decorations, just plain old BBQ and burgers like the sign says.
Apparently, Hanks has been around for about three years and it has quite the reputation already.
By Tony Cheong
I decided to check out a place I’ve been hearing about for barbecue.
My dad lives in the south and I have raved in the past about my brother’s prowess on the grill so I am not really easy to please.
However, Hanks, owned by Jeff Hamm, gets it right. It’s a joint with no frills or decorations, just plain old BBQ and burgers like the sign says.
Apparently, Hanks has been around for about three years and it has quite the reputation already.
The cooks slow-cook their pork for hours and serve a variety of items that everyone in your party will enjoy.
To be blunt, it’s a diner with a barbecue flare. And, Luis Sanchez, the short order cook, keeps the grill extra clean, impressively scraping and tidying after each order.
At Hanks you can order breakfast any time of the day, tacos, burritos, burgers, hot dogs, fries, zucchini sticks, cold and hot sandwiches and what I went for: barbecue!
The gal who took the orders boasted that the two best items were the brisket sandwich and pulled pork sandwich. Since I couldn’t have both, I opted for the pulled pork and the hillbilly egg rolls.
The pork was tender and shredded on site, served on a bun with barbecue sauce. No doctoring up needed. The juices mixed with the sauce and didn’t need any additional flavor. Did I mention the size? Luis didn’t skimp on the meat and it fed two.
In addition, we had the hillbilly egg rolls, which I would say is the secret at Hanks. They’re stuffed with smoked chicken, cream cheese, black beans, sweet corn and cilantro and served with a house made sweet and sour sauce. The mixture of the ingredients blended well and the thick but sour, tangy and peppery sauce was a delight.
There were many other items flying out the door and through the drive thru window. Every item looked to be family sized and fresh.
It’s always a pleasure to write about a place with good food with great prices. If you are looking for a large spread that everyone can enjoy but you are on a budget, skip the chains and go to Hanks. It may not look like much from the outside but the food will make you a regular.
Hanks BBQ & Burgers
7500 Cerritos Ave.,
Stanton
714-761-1231
